Plus/Minus Flyers vs Pens 2/20/13

+ Brandon Sutter What a big goal. Also, the people knocking him are crazy. He is a defensive gem.

+ Sidney Crosby He was flying tonight. Unfortunately, his line mates were not.

+ Tanner Glass This guy just keeps stepping up to the plate no matter who it is. One tough customer.

-Evgeni Malkin. Clean up your own zone. When he plays the entire ice surface he is at his best. I am also getting sick of the retaliation penalties. Grow up.

-Dan Byslma. I actually like him unlike many here, but not pulling Vokoun was a fatal mistake tonight. Resting Fleury is not more important than winning. Also, he needs to address these issues that keep creeping up with the Flyers.

-Officiating. You can’t allow players to be cross-checked 6 times. You can’t allow players to charge from 30 feet. On the other hand, being ticky-tack against the other team? Let’s be fair

+Sutter followed up a weak couple showings with a strong game. Great screen on goal one

+Martin phenomenal. Didn't realize he had three points, but he deserved them. Malkin's line and his partner didn't make things easier on him.

+Crosby was awesome. His statline being so poor is puzzling.

+Powerplay. It looks like a real one for the first time in forever the last few weeks.

-Malkin was brutal despite his two points. Cherrypicking and forcing the D to make impossible passes. Taking stupid penalties. Not backchecking far enough. This is the NHL, not mens league.

-Neal was brutal despite his two points. Cherrypicking and forcing the D to make impossible passes. Taking stupid penalties. Not backchecking far enough. This is the NHL, not mens league.

-Voukoun. Bad, bad night. Lots of wtf goals. A simple pokecheck would have stopped 2 of the ones Simmonds was involved in.

-Discipline. The Flyers start poking us and we throw away the book to play some ridiculous mens league grudge match, notably Geno and Neal. This is the third time I mentioned mens league, but that's what it looks like they're doing out there (on an insane level, but it's still hugely counterproductive).

-Bylsma. Not blaming him for Geno and Neal's cherrypicking and stupidity. They should know better. AM blaming him for not having a backup plan to "work the puck behind the net no matter how many guys are there," which Laviolette adjusted to midway through the first...but we kept trying.

-Orpik. There was one sequence when Martin was covering both Orpik's guys on the PK because Orpik was in the corner, away from the puck doing God knows what. A lot of bad shifts from him. Voracek lost him with obvious "white guy" shoulder fakes at least 5 times.

--- Vokoun was absolute dog ****. Out of position on pucks that were shot to the boards, flailing at the puck, falling down. What an embarrassment.

-- Orpik has completely lost his edge IMO. He's not the same player he was 3 or 4 years ago. Was hoping the long lay off would help him but it obviously didn't. He does all right against weaker teams but Philly exposes his weaknesses pretty bad.

- Letang needs to get off the PP if he's this hesitant to shoot again. Is this a time warp back to 2007?

- Lots of other crap I don't care to waste my virtual breath on. We sucked in terms of discipline and focus tonight.

+ Sutter ... finally saw some of those offensive flashes we've been waiting for. Get a real system in play he might actually be good.

+ Bennett looks like he's starting to adjust to things. I don't expect him to be an impact guy during his call-up but it's nice to see the potential of what we're likely to see next year with a bigger, stronger player.

+ Bortuzzo had some nice plays out there. Badly overshadowed by the rest of the D but still good.

+ Dupuis and Engo for getting the absolute **** pounded out of them for the first 50 minutes of the game and hanging in there, continuing to fight for every inch.

- Bylsma for doing nothing about it. He even said the other day after the Sabres game that he was fine with the penalties the Pens took. I hope he's fine with getting fired after the Pens lose a playoff series by playing undisciplined hockey because that's precisely what will happen if he doesn't put a stop to it.

That is one area where I really miss Therrien because he would NEVER put up with the type of discipline the Pens have been showing against the Flyers.

Remember how we used to always beat the Flyers under Therrien because we'd rarely if ever retaliate to the stupid **** they did? That was because Therrien coached the Pens to play that way. Bylsma has no control over the team and the Flyers just goad us into playing their garbage hockey every single time.

How bout if Mr physical Defensman doesn't let Voachek get off the centering pass in the first place. Orpik is just brutal in front of the net. If there's a guy allowed to skate across our crease with the puck unmolested you know who is on the ice.

+ crosby. only one point??? not sure how that happened
+ martin looked solid.
+ sutter. we needed that goal and you provided. unfortunately, the goalie gave up after that.
+ intensity? even if off and on

- malkin. what the crap dude? dumb penalty. almost non-existant in the game
- crosby passing on that 2 on 1 break where the flyer was covering the pass. you can shoot some times buddy. in fact, I think we all wish you would a little bit more.
- that scattered penguins goal in the first where the flyers beat it in after like 5 shots. that was amazing stop by letang and then just ugly flopping until it went in. what was vokoun doing at the face-off circle?

-- vokoun. That was gross. Yes, not all 6 were your fault, but stopping 4/5ths of the shots you're faced with is about equivalent to the size you are compared to the net. in other words, you really didn't do much.

we need to get some discipline before the playoffs start. we have a great team, but need to stay focused all of the game. not just the first and last 5 minutes of it.

Remember 2 weeks ago when everyone was living how calm Voukon was? Yeah, there is a thread about it.

Ya im one of the ones who likes TV. He was awful tonight but hes been a starting goalie and im sure its hard for him to go over a week without starting. He was suppose to play 45% of the games no reason to go over a week without playing.

- Bylsma for doing nothing about it. He even said the other day after the Sabres game that he was fine with the penalties the Pens took. I hope he's fine with getting fired after the Pens lose a playoff series by playing undisciplined hockey because that's precisely what will happen if he doesn't put a stop to it.

That is one area where I really miss Therrien because he would NEVER put up with the type of discipline the Pens have been showing against the Flyers.

Remember how we used to always beat the Flyers under Therrien because we'd rarely if ever retaliate to the stupid **** they did? That was because Therrien coached the Pens to play that way. Bylsma has no control over the team and the Flyers just goad us into playing their garbage hockey every single time.

Completely agree with this, Bylsma should bench players for taking stupid penalties even if they are Crosby/Malkin

In addition to everything I said I feel like they would've blown play dead on that one goal nine times out of ten. The one where it looked like Vokoun had it covered for a bit. There's also the inconclusive goal in Bryz's glove near the beginning everyone forgot about. Just really feel like Philly really only has negatives to take away here and the Pens don't really aside from maybe Vokoun. I'd say this on my own board but I know some over there wouldn't take this post well lol.

Both teams really can't take much good away from this game. The Flyers got a big two points and a win vs their rival but the bad habits both teams showed will doom both teams in the end this season, imo.

This goes on Bylsma and Vokoun. Vokoun was cold and was thrown into the fire. Red-hot Fleury sitting on the bench and watching that crap. Vokoun was swimming in the crease all night long, chaotic goaltending. Horrible stuff by veteran goalie.

Flyers didn´t have more chances than BUF did last night. Vokoun was the difference. Offense was clicking, but Sid should shoot more (he was still great) and Malkin was still sluggish.

Vokoun played well. He had a couple of what the **** moments, but that is pretty commonplace on this Penguins team, especially with how our D is playing. Why is Despres not playing? Why is Letang on the point on the PP when Martin is taking shots that are getting rebounded into the net every time? Why is Orpik suddenly the weakest dude in front of his net? Why is Engo not fighting anymore?

It is like the complete opposite of last year, Martin is playing fantastic and everyone else sucks. This game is a perfect example of why our coaching and defensive liabilities are what do us in. A mirror image of last years playoff series and the worst part is watching sub-par elite players like Giroux and Voracek make a mockery of a much better team.

I love Bylsma, but we really need a shot in the arm. I dunno if his firing is the thing we need to do, but Shero is not to blame. We have a steady supply of solid prospects. We have fantastic depth, but nobody is taking accountability for our actions. Everyone will pin this loss on Vokoun's sloppiness on a goal or two, but where the **** was the coverage on any of his other goals? Letting Simmonds coast into the net and score, not holding the puck under Vokoun on the first goal? The powerplay where nobody puts a shoulder into Simmonds while he does the same move he did to score his first? This team needs to learn from their mistakes and Bylsma isn't. Hopefully there is some adjustment and hopefully it is very soon. Our play over the entire year should put us in the same position as the Flyers right now, but luckily we have Crosby and Malkin who even when they are playing average propel us past ****** teams.

Such a disappointing effort, and so disappointing because we saw it all last year in the playoffs and have made no adjustment.

As a fan of hockey I loved this game. As a fan of the Penguins I was embarrassed.